Safety cover for swimming pools



July 17, 1956 J. KAROBONIK ET AL SAFETY COVER FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed June 29, 1954 INVENTQRS'.

Mohawk.

SAFETY covnn FGR- SWIMMING POOLS" Jack Karobonik and Thelma Karobonik, Sherman Oaks, Calif.

ApplicationJune-29, 1954, Serial'No. 440,098"

3Claims. (Cl. 160-37) This invention relates to an improved safety cover for swimming pools, and the present invention contemplates improvements over our previously filed application, Serial No. 307,658, dated September 3, 1952.

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a safety cover for swimming pools which presents some further advantages over our original construction in that the cover is rolled upon a drum or roller when not in use, thereby eliminating the possible accumulation of water in an accordion-pleated cover when such cover is a solid sheet as distinguished from a netting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a faster and more eflicient operation of the cover and the use of a solid sheet of plastic or some similar material which, in addition to preventing accidental drownings, will prevent the accumulation of debris in the water, such as leaves and branches from overhanging trees, and even dust and insects which may be blown in.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic and diagrammatic drawing of the improved safety cover for swimming pools of this invention, showing more particularly the solid sheet covering and the roller upon which it is,

wound when in retracted position.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the main elements of the safety swimming pool cover, illustrating the actual construction and operating mechanism.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the means for supporting the sheet or netting when in position over the water in the pool and is an enlarged section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view showing the cover with its support as rolled on the supporting drum.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates generally a swimming pool of ordinary construction having water 12 therein.

A retractable cover 16, which may either be netting or a solid sheet of cloth or plastic, is mounted for moving into and out of pool covering position and an end piece or support 18 is provided, preferably composed of an angle-iron and having a downwardly extending plate 22 which forms a protective gate element. This angle element and plate 18-22 is supported by short rods 24 terminating in rollers 26. The rollers move in guides or channels 28 extending along both sides of the pool and usually just above the water level.

Cross bars 30 in the form of metal slats or the like are provided at intervals for supporting the sheet or net covering 16, and the covering is attached to these cross bars by means of rivets or the like 32. The cross bars 30 terminate in end rollers 27 and the rollers 26 are attached'to operating cables 34 by means of which the cover is moved into or out of position. The rollers 27 may operate in. separate guides or channels.

There are two cables, one on each side of the pool, and these are wound and unwound upon and from a drum 36 positioned at one end of the pool, preferably in a recess to which access is had by a removable cover 38. The recess is of an extent sufiicient to receive the mechanism and that portion not having the removable cover may comprise a permanent structure 40 which can also include a support for the spring board of the pool. The cables are guided onto the drum or roller 36 by means of pulley wheels 42 and operate in longitudinal tubes or channels 44 extending parallel to and beneath the channels 28 which support and maintain the rollers 26.

The forward or leading edge of the sheet or cover 16 is connected to the strip and plate construction 1822 by hooks and springs as indicated at 50.

The covering sheet or netting 16 with its slats 34 is wound upon or unwound from a secondary support, drum or roller 52 and a motor 54 is provided which drives both the drums 3652 by means of chains or belts 56. The sizes of the rollers and drums, together with their relative speeds and that of the motor 54, are controlled by suitably arranged gears, pulleys, belts, chains or the like.

The motor 54 is reversible so that the covering 16 may be pulled into position over the pool and retracted at will. It is operated by current from a source 68 and preferably through a relay 62 which provides a threephase reversing operation. A manually operated switch 64 is provided on a stand 66 which can be located alongside the pool, but it is obvious that this can be positioned anywhere within a reasonable distance, such as inside the house at some place where the pool is under observation. It should necessarily be located out of the reach of small children.

Included in the current carrying line are two limit switches 68 and 70 which are normally closed, but which serve to automatically break the circuit and shut off the motor 54 when the covering 16 has either been moved completely over the pool or has been rolled back into retracted position in the recess under the coverings 38 and 40.

This arrangement provides certain advantages over the construction shown and described in our previously filed application for patent and these advantages will be obvious in certain embodiments which may more adequately be suited to the roller type as distinct from the accordion or folding type of cover.

We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A safety cover for swimming pools, comprising a sheet adapted to extend horizontally over the water in the pool, a movable support at the outer end of the sheet, a roller support at the inner end of the sheet, intermediate supports for the sheet, said intermediate supports comprising spaced strips, enlargements at the ends of the strips, longitudinal housings in the sides of the pool for the sliding reception of the enlargements, cables connected to the end support for selectively pulling the sheet over the water in the pool and retracting it and a separate roller for the cables.

2. A device as described in claim 1, wherein the roller support for the sheet comprises a drum upon which the sheet is wound when being retracted, and wherein motor and gear and pulley connections are provided for both the cable drum and the sheet supporting roller, and wherein tubular channels are provided for the operation of the cables through one half of their length, said tubular channels paralleling the housings and wherein a compartment is provided at one end of the pool for the reception of the roller, drum, cables and motor.

3. A device as described in claim 1, wherein a motor and gear and pulley connections are provided for both the cable drum and the sheet supporting roller. and wherein the cables extend through approximately one half of their operating length through the enlargement, and wherein tubular channels are provided for the operation of the cables through the other half of their length, said tubular channels paralleling the housings, and wherein resilient elements connect the leading edge of the sheet to its forward movable support and wherein said support forms a protective gate and closure for the compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,287 Frey Oct. 30, 1906 983,663 White Feb. 7, 1911 1,220,881 Nelson Mar. 27, 1917 2,517,393 Law Aug. 1, 1950 2,576,613 Lermont Nov. 27, 1951 2,580,555 Kroeger Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 139,330 Austria Nov. 10, 1934 

